Game Summary
With tonight’s game marking the closest approach to the anniversary of Adam Johnson’s deeply mourned passing nearly a year ago, those gathered at the Utilita Arena stood in a moving 47-second applause to honour his life—a legacy that will never be forgotten by so many on and off the ice throughout this city.
Once the puck dropped, the Sheffield Steelers delivered a commanding performance against the Cardiff Devils, claiming a 4-2 victory in their Challenge Cup matchup. After taking control with a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Steelers extended their advantage in the second, outshooting Cardiff 10-3 and adding two more goals. Angelo Miceli and Mark Simpson found the net, with Miceli celebrating his first goal in a Steelers jersey.
In a dramatic third period, the Devils responded quickly, scoring within 23 seconds and later narrowing the score to 3-2 with a powerplay goal by Cole Sanford. Despite Cardiff’s push, the Steelers’ penalty kill and defensive resilience held firm. Mark Simpson secured the win with an empty-net goal, earning him the Man of the Match title and sealing two Challenge Cup points.
Simpson’s two-goal night capped a strong team effort, and with Sunday off, the Steelers are set to face the Fife Flyers on Wednesday.
First Period [1-0] – Steelers Set the Tone with Dominant First Period Against Cardiff Devils
In a commanding first period, the Sheffield Steelers took early control over the Cardiff Devils, leading 1-0 by the end of twenty minutes but applying relentless pressure throughout. The Devils, struggling to find their footing, saw head coach Pete Russell call an early timeout at 9:33 to try and shift the momentum.
The Devils faced immediate adversity as Ryan Barrow was sent to the penalty box for high sticking on Dominic Cormier just 17 seconds into the game. While the Steelers failed to convert on this initial powerplay—limited to a single shot from Colton Saucerman at the blue line—it was a sign of the onslaught to come.
The Steelers bombarded Devils’ netminder Ben Bowns with fifteen shots in the period, limiting the Devils to only five attempts on Steelers’ goaltender Matthew Greenfield, all of which were confidently turned away.
A hooking penalty on Joona Huttula briefly put the Steelers on the defensive, but they generated more chances than they conceded, with Daniel Ciampini and Mark Simpson producing consecutive shorthanded opportunities. Just minutes later, the Steelers returned to the powerplay at 7:17 after Tyler Busch was penalized for kneeing Patrick Watling. This time, it took only 13 seconds for Marco Vallerand to capitalize. Bowns stopped Ciampini’s close-range effort, but Vallerand was on hand to bury the rebound and give the Steelers a 1-0 lead.
Despite the timeout and Russell’s attempts to rally his squad, the Devils remained on their heels. Even with another powerplay opportunity when Whistle was called for hooking, the Steelers’ penalty kill unit, led by Huttula’s strong defensive play, effectively shut down the Devils’ offense, keeping them from generating any real chances.
As the period closed, the Steelers skated off with the advantage, hoping to maintain their intensity and momentum heading into the second period.
Second Period [3-0] – Steelers Extend Lead with Dominant Second Period, Shutting Down Cardiff Devils
The Sheffield Steelers strengthened their hold over the Cardiff Devils in the second period, netting two more goals and maintaining defensive control to keep the Devils scoreless. The Steelers outshot Cardiff 10-3, showcasing their intensity on both ends of the ice.
The period’s first goal came at 23:02, marking Angelo Miceli’s debut goal in a Steelers jersey. Positioned close to the net, Miceli tipped in a powerful blue-line shot from Kevin Tansey, with Cole Shudra earning the secondary assist. Miceli’s emphatic celebration underscored the importance of his first tally for the club.
Shortly after, the Devils managed to kill off a penalty on Andrew MacWilliam for interference on Brien Diffley. However, the Steelers’ relentless forecheck soon led to another goal at 30:58. Mark Simpson capitalised on a loose puck created by the hard work of Daniel Ciampini and Joona Huttula, firing it into an open net to put the Steelers up 3-0.
As the period heated up, Cardiff’s Cole Sanford delivered a cross-check that sent Steelers’ captain Robert Dowd to the ice. Riley Brandt stepped up, squaring off with Dowd in a quick scuffle, with Dowd ultimately bringing Brandt to the ice.
The Steelers didn’t let up after the altercation, with Ben Bowns making an impressive glove save to deny Marco Vallerand from the right hash marks, a reminder of the Devils’ resilience despite the pressure.
By the end of the second period, the Steelers held a commanding 3-0 lead, poised to bring their momentum into the final twenty minutes.
Third Period [4-2] – Steelers Hold Off Late Devils Surge, Secure Victory with Simpson’s Empty Netter
The Sheffield Steelers withstood a tense third period to secure a 4-2 win over the Cardiff Devils, with an empty-net goal by Mark Simpson sealing the two Challenge Cup points after Cardiff pulled within one early in the final frame.
Just 23 seconds into the period, the Devils struck first, with Tyler Busch tipping in from the slot off a setup from Kohen Olischefski, with Evan Mosey picking up the secondary assist. The goal momentarily left Steelers’ netminder Matthew Greenfield wrong-footed and gave the Devils an early boost.
Cardiff continued pressing after killing off a Jarrod Gourlay interference penalty. They capitalised on a powerplay when Joona Huttula was whistled for high-sticking, as Cole Sanford connected on a pass from Zach O’Brien to laser a shot above Greenfield’s blocker, bringing the Devils within one.
With the clock winding down, the Devils applied even more pressure on a second powerplay when Mikko Juusola was penalised for high-sticking. However, the Steelers’ penalty kill unit remained strong, and as Cardiff pulled netminder Ben Bowns for the extra attacker, Simpson took advantage. Just nine seconds into the empty net situation, he picked up the puck at centre ice and skated it home for his second goal of the night, ending the Devils’ comeback hopes.
Simpson’s two-goal performance earned him the Man of the Match award, and he capped it off with a celebratory “Eddy” at centre ice. With a rare Sunday off, the Steelers will be back in action Wednesday night for a midweek showdown against the Fife Flyers, with a 7:30 p.m. face-off.
